


Something has changed

by Vinushuka



Series: One year with Apocalyptica [20]
Category: Apocalyptica
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-02
Updated: 2017-01-02
Packaged: 2018-09-14 06:57:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9167365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vinushuka/pseuds/Vinushuka
Summary: Patrik's sudden kindness and compassion confuse Anna's mind and make her wonder what's going on. Perttu decides to restart his old riding hobby but the motives behind his decision aren't as innocent as one might think. With Perttu's horse comes a beautiful owner/riding instructor that may pose a threat to Anna's future with Perttu. Luckily Apocalyptica is heading to their  Australia tour giving Perttu a chance to meet Franky again and hopefully forget this riding thing all together...





	1. At the office

## At the office (1)

I must admit that I was both physically and mentally exhausted after my passionate weekend with Perttu. During those two days we of course did many things together like cleaning the house, washing my and Perttu’s laundry, shopping for groceries, heating up sauna and cooking our meals but that wasn’t the reason for my fatigue. I just wasn’t used to having someone around all the time, doing things the way I wouldn’t do them and leaving things where they weren’t supposed to be. It would have been different if we had lived in that house together from the beginning but we hadn’t. I had claimed the ownership of the place and intended to keep it that way. So, I was happy when the weekend was over and I could return to my ordinary life with only occasional Perttu time.

      I assumed that all band members would stay at home to recover from the strains of their promo tour and I didn’t expect them to disturb my work at the office. Therefore I was surprised when Eicca turned up at the studio on Monday after the lunch time. He wanted to check some details of the coming Australia tour but I had a hunch that he wanted to talk about something else.

“How are your Japanese studies?” Eicca asked while he was leafing through the details of the itinerary I had printed for him.

“They are proceeding fine. I’ve started to study the kanji independently and I‘ve got Patrik now as my pair. I think he’s going to join me in the kanji studies” I told Eicca not bothering to hide my enthusiasm.

“You two seem to have a very special relationship. He talk about you a lot and always in a very respectful manner”, Eicca wondered.

“Oh, I’m pleased to hear that”, I said trying not to get overly excited about Eicca’s comments. My attempt to keep cool failed miserably and I felt blush spread on my cheeks. It was too obvious how I felt about Patrik. “There was a time when he didn’t want to see me or talk to me. Something must have changed… ”, I muttered very conscious about my red cheeks. I had to figure out something else to talk about.

“Have you met Patrik after your return?” I asked when I happened to remember Kirsi’s comments about heading into the right direction.

“Yes, I met him right after our return on Friday. Kirsi couldn’t meet me at the airport so Patrik offered to give me a ride home in his fancy new car.”

“Yeah, he’s so proud of it! I got a ride home last Monday”, I boasted just to realize that maybe I should have kept my mouth shut.

“Patrik told me that your company is bringing people over from Japan to support your operations here in Finland”, Eicca suddenly changed the subject.

“Yes, that’s true. They are sending several people over to help us with R&D, process development and manufacturing. I’m very excited about that and so is Patrik. I think he knows at least one of them from his orientation period in Japan.”

“By the way, have you decided anything about your living arrangements with Perttu? Is he moving in with you?” Eicca finally popped out the question that was probably bothering him.

“Yes, we talked about that during the weekend and decided to live separately. He will keep his own apartment… probably more convenient for you two”, I added in an unnecessarily sharp tone.

“Or for him and Franky”, Eicca commented sounding a bit sour.

“I’m sorry” I apologized meaning both my last remark and this thing with Franky. Eicca would have to endure the same pain he had put Perttu through last autumn in Nashville.

“Anyways, now I would have to find someone to help me with Lumi during the first half year or so. You don’t happen to know anybody interested in learning child care in practice?”

“No, not at the moment but I can make inquiries if you want me to”, Eicca proposed.

“I would be grateful if you could help me with that”, I replied feeling deep gratitude towards this gentle giant. He might mention my problem also to Patrik which would make it easier for me to take the matter up with him.

“Okay then. I will have to hurry to buy some construction materials. I promised to Kirsi to build a warm shelter for our cats”, Eicca grinned and headed towards the door. “Have a nice school day tonight!”

      After Eicca had left home I sat at my desk for quite a while thinking about the changes that had occurred lately: Patrik’s sudden openness, his respect and maybe even love for me. I had no idea what had brought them about but I was happy all the same. This was almost too good to be true.


	2. A ride to school

## A ride to school (2)

As usual I headed home a little earlier to prepare for the lesson. I had just showered and dried up my hair when my phone buzzed. It was an unknown number but I decided to take the call anyway.

“Hi, it’s Patrik. Would you like to have a ride to school today? I will be in your neighborhood in about an hour.

“Err, of course”, I breathed too confused to say anything else.

“Is everything okay?” Patrik asked when my silence lasted a bit too long.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I just had a shower and was planning to prepare some dinner but I think I will be ready in one hour”, I managed to say when I had recovered from the surprise. “Just give me a call when you’re here.”

      I was both excited and puzzled by his call. He had phoned me only twice during our history: when Eicca broke up with him and when he was in Japan last Christmas. He had never before volunteered to take me to school. What was cooking?

      I was ready just on time when his message clinked into my cell phone: “I’m here.” I peeked out of the window and saw his black shiny car parked by the road side. I wasn’t dreaming about this.

“Hi and thanks for coming! What brings you around?” I asked when I had sat down on the front seat and had pushed my bulky bag beside my feet.

“I’m helping my cousin to set up his new computer. He lives quite close here and I thought you would appreciate a ride.”

      Okay, first a mother and now a cousin. How much family did he actually have around here? I took a deep breath to calm myself down and shot a quick glance at my beautiful chauffeur. Maybe I shouldn’t have done it because after that I asked the most stupid question one can imagine. “Are you growing your beard again?” He had shaved his beard and moustache during his stay in Japan and I preferred him that way. Now he had a quite long stubble that made him look rough and unruly.

“No, it’s just growing so fast. I didn’t have the time to shave it this morning”, he explained touching his chin with his palm. I wanted to do that too but managed to keep myself in check.

      I don’t remember much about the conversation we had during our drive to the institute. Maybe it was something about insurances and cats… I was trying hard to concentrate in the moment, being close to him. Spending an extra hour with him in the car and at the institute was a rare treat for me.

      When we arrived at the school we couldn’t find a parking place and had to drive quite far to the next block to locate one. We took a brisk walk back to the institute and headed directly into the cafeteria to have a cup of coffee before the lesson. Patrik was hungry so he selected a sandwich and a piece of cake to go with the coffee. I settled only with coffee.

      Just when he was about to pay our portions his phone buzzed. “It’s my mother”, he told me and switched then the language to Swedish. It was a revelation to me to hear him speak Swedish. Our discussions had always been in Finnish and it hadn’t occurred to me that it wasn’t his native language.

“It’s nice to hear you speak Swedish”, I remarked when he had finished the call.

“How’s your Swedish?” he asked when we were heading to his regular table carrying our trays.

“Slightly rusty. I don’t need it much, but I’m sure it would come back to me if I started to use it more”, I replied happy that he wanted to know things about me.

      At the table he dug up his textbook, iPad and two cell phones out of his briefcase. Obviously he had again left his homework undone. “Ah, you’ve got a new phone. I was wondering about the number you called from”, I remarked.

“Yes, I needed a private mobile in addition to the company phone. I lost my previous cell in Japan”, he explained while he browsed through the textbook to find the chapter we were studying. “Homework time!” he grinned knowing that his negligence irritated me.

      I enjoyed my coffee watching him struggle with the exercises in the textbook. My stare had at least some effect on him: it was making him nervous. “Here, you can browse my music library while I’m working”, he finally said and pushed his new cell into my hand. Listening to his favorite music was interesting but also very intimate. My own music collection told so much about my inner self that I wouldn’t share it lightly with a stranger. His gesture reinforced my feeling that things between us were changing.

      We headed in good time to our classroom in the second floor. When the lesson was supposed to start there were very few of us present and the teacher was also missing. After about ten minutes wait we started to wonder and sent one of us to check the room number on the lobby information board. “I will take you home if the lesson is cancelled”, Patrik promised making me wish that it would really be the case. Unfortunately it wasn’t. When our scout returned he announced that the lesson was being held in the seventh floor.

      We climbed the stairs into the seventh floor in a hurry and found the missing half of our team plus the teacher there. When we had sat down at a free table slightly out of breath I noticed that Patrik was keeping an eye on me. “Please stop looking at me like that. You’re making me nervous”, I finally told him.

“Sorry, I’m just a little concerned. Maybe you shouldn’t climb so many flights of stairs in your condition.”

“Don’t worry. I’m fine and exercise is good for me”, I replied overwhelmed by his compassion. I just couldn’t stop myself from caressing his arm. He glanced at my hand and then flashed me a smile that dazzled me completely. I knew my cheeks were glowing red again but I didn’t care. I loved him and maybe he loved me too in some strange way.

      I was slightly disappointed that Patrik didn’t repeat his offer to drive me home after the lesson but then again, he had already done more than I had expected. I was dying to ask him the question about helping me with Lumi but I forced myself to keep quiet about it for the time being. Maybe Eicca would take the matter up with him. I was sure Eicca was going to spend some time with Patrik during the coming week because Apocalyptica’s Australia tour was looming ahead.


	3. Riding revisited

## Riding revisited (3)

Perttu didn’t turn up at the office until next Thursday. The band was going to have a short rehearsal period before the Australia tour so he came to discuss that and some details of Indigo with Eicca. Perttu looked very refreshed and bursting with energy.

“It seems that you have recovered very well from our weekend”, I smirked and gave him an appreciative look.

“Thanks! I feel really good. I finally grabbed myself by the neck and restarted my old riding hobby. I found a nice stable and a horse to ride in Vantaa thanks to Eicca’s hint. I feel like a new person after spending some time at the stables and on horseback”, Perttu enthused in his usual manner but I felt an almost paralyzing anxiety taking over my body. This foreboding reminded me of the unhappy misunderstanding last autumn…

“I know that Eicca has ridden before but I didn’t know that it was also your hobby”, I remarked trying to hide my unrest.

“That was already some time ago. After our last tour I felt I needed some exercise and fresh air and I thought it would be a good idea to start riding again”, Perttu explained making me feel slightly better. Of course it was important that he took care of his health and physics.

“Horses are awfully big. Aren’t you afraid that you could fall?” I asked worrying about his delicate fingers and body. But then again teenage girls rode their horses without problems so why wouldn’t he?

“Please don’t worry about me. I’m used to horses”, Perttu comforted me and stepped forward to take me in his arms. My anxiety eased up immediately in his embrace. Perhaps it was just my brain playing tricks on me.

      When Perttu had vanished into Eicca’s study I sat at my desk trying to concentrate on my emails but I couldn’t. The indefinite fear returned stronger than before. I pinched my eyes close and took a deep breath to calm down but it didn’t help.

      I had never before spied on Eicca and Perttu when they were working but this time I made an exception. I had to know more about this riding thing or it would drive me crazy. I found them in the middle of a discussion that was of interest to me too.

“Thanks for the hint. I visited yesterday the stables you recommended and took a long ride with one of the horses. I felt so good about everything, the smell of the stables, the strength of the horse and the feeling of being one with a huge animal like that. It’s unbelievable. Johanna showed me around. She seems to be a very professional woman”, Perttu told Eicca.

“And very beautiful if I remember correctly”, Eicca grinned.

“I can’t deny that”, Perttu admitted blushing slightly.

“Just don’t fall off the horse. We need you in one piece in Australia”, Eicca joked and slapped Perttu at the back.

Okay, I needed to know more about this Johanna. Maybe I could ask about her directly from Perttu. He seemed to be eager enough to talk about her.

“Will you come to Espoo sometime during this week?” I asked Perttu when he and Eicca had finished their work session in the afternoon.

“It would be nice to have sauna together on Saturday. Tomorrow is my first actual riding session with Johanna, my instructor, and I promised to take her out for a dinner after that”, Perttu told me struggling to hide his excitement. He couldn’t fool me. I knew from his voice and gestures that this was something special for him. Houston, I had a problem.

“Where in Vantaa is this stable?” I asked trying to sound indifferent although my heart was bleeding.

“It’s at Korso, a very convenient location for me.”

“Lucky you! Does Johanna own the place?”

“No, I don’t think so but she has three horses there. I’m riding one of them”, Perttu replied checking his watch. “I’m sorry but I will have to hurry. I have an appointment with Jaakko Kuusisto at the opera.

“I won’t keep you. See you on Saturday!” I replied and waved at him. My eyes flooded with tears right after he had closed the door. I had to hurry to the toilet to dry my eyes. I didn’t want Eicca to find me crying.

      Eicca was still working in his study so I decided have a word with him. I needed his signature for some paperwork so I used that as an excuse to disturb him.

“Don’t you think Perttu’s riding hobby is a bit risky considering the band’s commitments?” I asked when Eicca was signing the papers.

“Well, riding has its risks but I think it’s good that he’s doing something as exercise. We are not getting any younger and touring is very hard work nowadays.”

“I understood that you knew the stable and the horse owner from somewhere.”

“Yeah, I met Johanna Ahlbäck at a party about a year ago. We started to talk about riding and horses and it turned out that she had her horses in a familiar stable. I mentioned that to Perttu and here we are now…”

      Now that I knew her name it was easy to google more information about her. No wonder that Eicca had thought she was beautiful. She was an ex Miss Finland candidate from 2013. I must admit that Perttu had an excellent eye for female beauty. I just wondered how I fitted in the picture. Or maybe I didn’t and Perttu wanted something else…


	4. Sauna and massage

## Sauna and massage (4)

The weather turned very vernal on Saturday morning. The sun was shining from a clear blue sky and tits were starting their spring concert. It was lovely to feel the warmth of the sun again. I took my afternoon coffee with me and sat down on a garden bench I had positioned on the terrace against the building wall to protect it from the cold winds. I closed my eyes enjoying the sun and thinking about the coming spring. I had plenty of ideas about what to do in the garden and my fingers were itching to get to work. For now the ground was still frozen solid and especially the nights were freezing cold.

      We had agreed that Perttu would arrive around five o’clock in the afternoon. We would go to sauna first and after that prepare some dinner. I was planning to bake enchiladas with mushroom filling, easy and quick enough to prepare after sauna. My anxiety over Perttu’s riding sessions had persisted but I tried my best to ignore it. There was nothing I could do about it and constant worrying didn’t do any good for me or Lumi.

      There was another matter that bothered me too. Our Japanese guests would arrive in two weeks’ time and with that there would be a new piece introduced into this puzzle. Patrik hadn’t mentioned Naoki at all lately. He was completely focused on spending time with Eicca whenever that was possible.

       Confusion was the right word to describe my relationship with Patrik. I couldn’t understand what was happening between us but I was happy and excited all the same. Without him my life would have been a mess, especially now when we had this new woman in the picture.

     I didn’t like the direction my thoughts had taken so I stood up and headed towards the garden shed to collect an armful of firewood. I left my load to dry up in the garage and took the previous one from there to sauna. I wished that watching and listening to the fire burning in the stove would banish the painful thoughts swirling in my mind.

      Perttu looked somewhat stiff when he arrived so obviously he was taking the riding very seriously.

“How was your riding session yesterday?” I asked when we sat on the sauna benches surrounded by the gentle heat of the stove.

“Absolutely great! We took a long ride with Johanna even though the weather wasn’t the best. I didn’t know that I had all these muscles in my back, butt and thighs. I’m all sore now”, he complained and grimaced.

“I can give you a massage if you like”, I proposed. This secret weapon of mine had done wonders before.

“That would be great. I can’t go on stage looking stiff like an old grandpa.”

“You won’t if it depends on me”, I assured Perttu. The thought of laying my hands on his beautiful body still pleased me more than anything.

      After that there was a longish silence filled with only sizzle of water being thrown on the stove now and then. “Any news from Franky?” I finally asked to get the discussion going again.

“He’s been busy with his band and family but we’ve talked couple of times over the phone. It will be nice to see him again…”

Perttu and Franky would bunk together also on the Australia tour. Somehow I wished that Franky could get Perttu’s mind off these riding sessions but I guessed that it was only wishful thinking. Perttu seemed to be completely absorbed with his newest interest.

“Can you stay the night?” I asked because I wasn’t sure what the guys had agreed about their schedules for the coming days.

“Yes, I can but I will have to leave in the morning. We are having our rehearsals on Sunday and Monday… Jeez, I hate those long flights, they are dangerous to health. But it will be interesting to be in Australia once again. It’s not often we get to visit that place.”

“Say hello to kangaroos and koalas for me”, I snickered wishing I had a chance to see those places too. First and foremost I wanted to see Japan once more.

      Perttu lit the fire in the fireplace while I was preparing the enchiladas. When they were in the oven we laid the table together and I dug up my massage cream and an old quilt to protect the carpet from getting soiled. A massage in front of the fire place would be a nice treat for both of us.

      Seeing Perttu lying naked in front of me took my breath away. I had started the massage from his back proceeding slowly to his butt and down to his thighs.

“Oh please, don’t stop. I love your hands”, Perttu mumbled half asleep when I took a short pause to admire the sight in front of me. His legs were slightly spread to allow me to massage his thighs. I couldn’t resist the temptation to slide my fingers along his spine, between his buttocks and down to his balls. “Why are you doing this to me?” he whined and clutched the quilt with his fingers.

“Because you’re beautiful and I want you”, I replied bending over him. I pushed my slippery finger into his beautiful ass making him wriggle of desire.

“Would you like to fuck me?” I whispered into his ear and pushed my finger deeper inside him.

“What kind of question is that?" He murmured and rolled onto his back his erection hard and strong.

      He pulled me on top of him and grabbed my face to kiss me. I could feel his dick on the side of my thing. When his lips found mine I maneuvered myself into a position where dis dick was just a push away from my wet opening. I was getting crazy waiting for him to glide in. When he finally pushed himself deep inside me I couldn’t keep quiet. My long moan lasted all the way through my passionate ride on top of him. When we both had come I buried my face in his neck desperate to have this beautiful man all to myself. My precious…

“That was one hell of a ride”, Perttu sighed and caressed my hair with his hand.

“I don’t need horses to ride when I’ve got you”, I snickered and kissed him. Or should I have said ”as long as I’ve got you”? No, I didn’t want to think about that right now…


End file.
